As powerful as addiction can be, CeDAR’s stories of recovery are even more so

As powerful as addiction can be, CeDAR’s stories of recovery are even more so

Rollie D. Fisher, MA, CeDAR Business Development Supervisor

East Denver LIVING WELL Magazine

A young woman from Colorado Springs and her parents best help tell the story of how CeDAR (Center for Dependency, Addiction and Rehabilitation), located on the Anschutz Medical Campus at University of Colorado Hospital, provides a foundation for individuals and families to begin a life of recovery from addiction.

The parents, Anne and Ken Beach, discovered their daughter, Kate, was abusing Adderral—making appointments with numerous doctors in order to purchase enough of the substance to satisfy her growing addiction. They consulted with a psychiatrist, and he recommended they send her to CeDAR.

What they, and others, find at CeDAR is a 31-day residential program offering a rare blend of the time-tested and proven 12-Step recovery process with evidence-based practices and pharmacologic advances. CeDAR’s multi-disciplinary staff provides individualized, integrated and intensive residential and extended care programs that feature gender responsive treatment and housing for adults age 18 and above.

CeDAR is nestled on a private, seven-acre tract that helps provide a soothing and serene atmosphere for individual recovery; yet the commitment to each person’s recovery goes beyond CeDAR’s walls. Each individual receives a continuing care plan, and recovery management activities/events also are offered by the Alumni Program and Recovery Support Services. Both help the individual and their family make the transition from the safety of the CeDAR community to a new and enriching lifestyle in recovery.

Kate has made that transition and now is giving back by serving as a volunteer at CeDAR, working with women who are addicted to alcohol or other drugs.

“I came to CeDAR in February 2011, at the request of my parents, not believing I needed treatment for my addiction to alcohol and stimulants,” Kate explains.

“My overall experience at CeDAR was nothing short of amazing. I was given the tools to help me live a life in recovery, and have since discovered that this life is better than my wildest dreams. CeDAR holds a very special place in my heart.”

The team of professionals at CeDAR lay the foundation for long-term, sustainable recovery in the residential setting by providing treatment designed to heal the mind, body and spirit. The multi-disciplinary staff provides education about the disease in a lecture series, 12-Step instruction, as well as through individual counseling and group therapy sessions. And with an industry-low staff-to-patient ratio of one-to-five, individuals at CeDAR receive more one-to-one attention from professionals who understand addiction.

Michael H., a former patient from Highlands Ranch, came to CeDAR needing treatment for an addiction, as well as a co-occurring disorder.

“I entered CeDAR with an addiction to alcohol and prescription pain meds. The accompanying depression only added to my misery. I knew I needed a place that addressed the whole person—the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. The staff did all of that in a safe and caring environment. I owe my life to CeDAR.”

As individuals progress through treatment, they begin working more with the 12 steps of recovery, learning how to live a life free of alcohol or other drugs. CeDAR’s clinical staff is trained in cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy and motivational enhancement therapy, in addition to 12-Step Facilitation to address behavioral, emotional and relational aspects of the addictive disorder.

These treatments are balanced amidst a holistic approach that includes art, acupuncture, massage, physical fitness/recreation, team building, yoga, spirituality and nutrition.

Additionally, CeDAR’s Family Program is designed to teach family members how to support recovery or detach with love—skills that require education, support and motivation. The Family Program is offered twice each month, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Research shows participation in a Family Program helps increase overall recovery rates and saves families. (Kate’s parents and Michael’s wife agree.

The pain and suffering caused by addiction resonates beyond the addicted individuals themselves—to families, the workplace and our communities. But as powerful as addiction can be, CeDAR’s stories of recovery are even more so. If you, or someone you love, is suffering from an addiction, call CeDAR’s admissions office, and start building the foundation for a life of recovery today.

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